“So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should COMMIT {Entrust} themselves to their faithful Creator and CONTINUE to do good.”-(1 Peter 4:19}

There IS A “Suffering ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD…” In such times two things to remember and DO. Firstly SUBMIT,…COMMIT,  entrust, commit yourselves To the Faithful Creator and Secondly,”CONTINUE TO DO Good!” He doesn’t say “start to do good,” it already shows they are “doing good,” and he doesn’t want suffering to halt or divert or stop them, but encourages them Don’t stop doing good, but “CONTINUE” doing good, in the midst of “…suffering according to the will of God!” You are COMMISSIONED…Keep on DOING Good! You are doing good. Here is God’s Perspective, blueprint from this verse that teaches those of you “suffering according to the will of God,” that you know God has a revealed will that includes suffering according to His Will!

1.- SUFFERING ACCORDING TO THE “WILL OF GOD.” – While many shy away from, deny or denounce, the Scriptures clearly teach there is a suffering according to His will! Jesus said of Paul to Ananias, “For I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”- {Acts 9:16}. To the believers in Philippi, “For to you it has been granted {the word signifies ‘a gift of grace’}for Christ’s sake not only to believe in Him, But ALSO To Suffer for His Sake.”-{Phil 1;29}. In 1 Peter 4:19 the word “Suffer” is in the present tense, which speaks of “a lifestyle of suffering” not a onetime but a lifestyle. It is not an evidence of God abandoning His own, though the evil one would seek to inject such wrong thinking or others telling you so, to discredit God and dishearten you by turning you inward and away from Him! Let all be silent and… listen…to God… from His Word. It is then in acceptance of such to know how to respond, namely…

2. -SUBMISSION-KNOW WHOM TO DO IT WITH; ” Entrust” it’s a banking term. It had the idea of “depositing,” it has the idea of committing with confidence in the One you are entrusting your soul to.  “Entrusting,” committing , “depositing for safe keeping,”their souls into the faithful, trustworthy bank of God for Safekeeping!  Commit yourself to HIM the Faithful Creator. By Faith entrust yourself to Him!

Dwight Edwards writes that…

“When suffering comes we all look for some source of comfort and, if possible, relief. There are many things into which a man can deposit his soul in order to alleviate the pains and heartaches of life. Money, alcohol, sports, business, even a favorite hobby can all be used to temporarily stifle the cries of the soul. Yet all these things are really ruthless bankers because they promise much but never fully keep their bargain. And so we are being told that in the midst of suffering, we need to be sure and “deposit” our soul into the hands of God. He alone is a faithful banker who will abundantly increase the value of our life.”

Note He has them commit not to a denomination but a PERSON, Creator God. He leads and leaves them with the PERSON of God! Suffering can tempt us to isolation, questionings, doubts, fears, anxieties but Peter wants to lead them not to isolation {which is the evil’ ones desire} but to INTIMACY and Identifying with God!

3. – COMMISSIONED – KNOW WHAT TO DO; And then he encourages them to ACT and Continue to Do good, don’t withdraw, deviate but press on, Stay focused, stay strong… Suffering, Submission, Serving out of goodness not bitterness that benefits others and ultimately honors God in your suffering, according to His Will!

Why “Continue to do good?” Because it His revealed will, and ultimately you do it for Him as this is what His desire and Revealed will for you is! You don’t have to guess if it is as it is revealed in this verse! “Continuing to do good, ” is an act of love amidst suffering.Suffering according to His will, …cannot hinder you from exercising love by choosing to and includes “continuing to do good!” Be encouraged, Meditate and memorize His Perspective and Practice This verse and SHARE with someone else to encourage them… That can be part of DOING GOOD…

Suffering according to His will is not a case of God abandoning you, though you may be tempted by the evil one to  wrongly think so, and even told by others it is so, “But God,” reveals otherwise in this verse. It is a call to commune with Him and be a blessing for others. And this do, by faith in what He says to do in time of suffering according to His will, as revealed in His Word!

NOTE; in times of suffering according to the will of God, it is all about relationships. Loving God and Loving Others! Y

Your Love Towards God- as you choose to “entrust” your soul to Him. And secondly towards Loving Others- through”Continuing doing Good” toward them! As you do so you are fulfilling the first and greatest command by Loving him as reflected in your obedience and loving others!

A. – Suffering according to His Revealed will is an opportunity to express LOVE TO GOD! How? As you choose to TRUST Him by entrusting yourself to Him, you are expressing LOVE TO GOD!

B. – Suffering according to the will of God is an opportunity to… CONTINUE TO DO GOOD and that others”…may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” – {Read Matt 5:16} In Doing So you are LOVING OTHERS!

Suffering is not meant to make us bitter but a blessing in the lives of others by “continuing to do Good!”

Note in the verse the words,”COMMIT ..and… CONTINUE…” two words to keep before you during suffering and the CREATOR is the One you are trusting in!

There is a fellowship of the Suffering in the Furnace of Affliction that Paul and Peter and countless others knew. You are not alone! {Read Phil 3:8,10; 1 Peter 4:19}- SUFFERING- SUBMISSION- COMMISSIONED! Keep choosing to Do Good!- He is WORTH it! 🙂